The Strain brothers, five siblings who all joined the U.S. Navy, fulfilled the wish of one of their siblings to have them all walk together during a parade this past Memorial Day honoring their service, USA Today reported.
Vince Strain joined the Navy Reserves at 17 in May 1963 and served during the Vietnam War after moving on to active duty in 1965, according to USA Today. Howard Strain joined out of high school and participated in the Vietnam War as well.
Howard Strain received a Bronze Star Medal for his service in Cameron Bay as an airman, the website said. Charlie and Wally both followed in their brothers' footsteps and enlisted in the Navy. John Strain joined and served in the first Gulf War in the early 1990s, according to USA Today.
"I guess all the rest of them just followed me," Vince Strain told USA Today. "That's all I can say."
The five fulfilled Howard Strain's "bucket list" wish this past Memorial Day when they all marched together in his hometown's parade.
"He doesn't show too much emotion, but I think that was about the most emotion I've seen from him because he said that a couple times," Vince Strain said of Howard.
While the Strain brothers all served in the Navy, Navy rules would have prevented them from serving on the same ship. The Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin 1942 spells this out, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command website.
"The Bureau considers that it is to the individual family interest that brothers not be put on the same ship in war time, as the loss of such a ship may result in the loss of two or more members of the family, which might be avoided if brothers are separated."
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